Debt refinancing and redemption costs reduced third-quarter earnings by $10.1 million, or 14 cents per share. Restructuring costs of $3.2 million related to plant closures knocked another 4 cents per share off earnings, the company said on Friday.

American Axle reported a net loss of $8.2 million, or 11 cents per share, compared with a profit of $22.6 million, or 33 cents per share, a year earlier.

Excluding special items, the company earned 7 cents per share, which missed analysts' expectations of 33 cents per share by a wide margin.

Total revenue rose 8.5 percent to $702.9 million. Analysts had expected revenue of $686.8 million, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

American Axle, which relies on General Motors Co for about 70 percent of its sales, said non-GM sales in the quarter rose about 14 percent to $198.8 million.

Detroit-based American Axle has been trying to reduce its dependence on GM by diversifying its customer base and launching new products. The company set a target in July to reduce its reliance on GM to 50 percent of sales by 2015.

Shares of the company were down marginally at $11.53 before the bell after closing at $11.59 on Thursday.